SYS-CON's Readers' Choice Awards program is considered to be the most prestigious award program of the software industry and is often referred to as "the Oscars of the software industry." The products participating in the program are nominated by their vendors, customers, users, or SYS-CON readers. This year a record number of companies and products were nominated. Below is a list of all companies and products participating in the 2005 Readers' Choice Awards in each category.

SYS-CON Media, the world's leading i-technology media company, announced that its 2005 Readers' Choice Awards polls opened today, February 1, 2005, and will remain open for six months, until July 31, 2005. More than 50,000 readers are expected to cast their votes to select the best software products and services of the year for Java, Linux, Web Services, XML, Microsoft .NET, ColdFusion and Macromedia MX.